How much wood?

[Don W (Houston)]

How much wood can a WSM handle during a smoke. I see people smoking with only wood for the duration of the smoke on different types of smokers. Can I do this with the WSM. I would try it but I rather get some facts first. I would like my fuel to be 50% lump and 50% post oak. Is this possible.

Thanks

 

[timothy]

By design the WSM is not made of the same heavy gauge steel as a stick-burner. You could burn down the oak chunks to coals and add them during a smoke. I've done that on my old horizontal many times, tried it a few times on the WSM and I had a hard time controlling the temps. If you're trying to save on fuel because you have a bunch of oak, do a search for DIY lump.
HTH

Tim

 

[Dave Russell]

A charcoal smoker has a completely different kind of fire than a stickburner, and as long as the lid is on, the wood smolders without a flame, being mainly for flavor. Last butt cook on my 18.5" wsm I buried six aprox. fist-sized chunks of hickory in the coals, and added two to the top. I'm sure that's more than most folks use.